Drain control means

ABSTRACT

The disclosure hereof is of a drain control means, primarily for use in sinks or similar environment where the problems in sinks are comparable, and consists of a drain body of relatively large diameter, having a suitable flange for support of a sink opening, a reduced drain outlet section with control unit or member having a downwardly open threaded section adapted to be guided on to a spud by reason of the configuration of the respective parts involving a wide bevel at the mouth of the downwardly open interiorly threaded part, threads being formed on the spud to engage the threads in the part and by reason of the configuration of the mouth of the part directed to engagement virtually independently of the manner in which the parts are brought into position by reason of the flared mouth heretofore mentioned, with the ability of the control member to be rotated and cause a stopper part formed therewith to engage a seat in the outlet section.

- United States Patent 1 Politz I Dec. 11, 1973 [54] DRAIN CONTROL MEANS [75] Inventor: William E. Politz, Delphi, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Stephen A. Young, Monticello, Ind.

[22] Filed: June 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 263,546

[52] US. Cl. 4/287 [51] Int. Cl A47k l/l4, E03c 1/26 I58] Field 01 Search 4/287, 291, 286,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,720,149 7/1929 Rom 4/287 2,090,299 8/1937 Kuhnle.... 4/287 2,163,453 6/1939 Schultis 4/287 2,225,693 12/1940 Frances 4/287 U X 2,500,674 3/1950 Gleason 4/287 2,890,463 6/1959 Young 4/287 3,525,105 8/1970 Richards 4/287 Primary Examinerl-1enry K, Artis Att0rneyR0bb & Robb [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure hereof is of a drain control means, primarily for use in sinks or similar environment where the problems in sinks are comparable, and consists of a drain body of relatively large diameter, having a suitable flange for support of a sink opening, a reduced drain outlet section with control unit or member having a downwardly open threaded section adapted to be guided on to a spud by reason of the configuration of the respective parts involving a wide bevel at the mouth of the downwardly open interiorly threaded part, threads being formed on the spud to engage the threads in the part and by reason of the configuration of the mouth of the part directed to engagement virtually independently of the manner in which the parts are brought into position by reason of the flared mouth heretofore mentioned, with the ability of the control member to be rotated and cause a stopper part formed therewith to engage a seat in the outlet section.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures l DRAIN CONTROL MEANS OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The instant invention has as one of its principal objects, to improve on the construction of sink strainers shown in the Young U. S. Pat No. 2,890,463 issued June 16, l959. Said patent discloses a sink strainer havv food or the like such as would prevent proper closing of the stopper provided for such purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spud mounted at the drain opening drain'control device, in such a manner that the threaded portion thereof extends upwardly and is provided at its upper end with a bevelled section so that the downwardly opened interiorly threaded part having a widely flared opening at the mouth thereof will be guided over the spud when the drain control member is positioned so that the proper part is ultimately brought into engagement with the seat in the outlet section to close off the drain opening and retain liquid in the sink or similar enviroment.

' Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a simple construction readily manufactured so that the parts are easily formed with the flared section and bevelled portion arranged for virtually direct interengagement irrespective of the manner of introduction of the parts of a drain control member into the body.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the specification appended hereto and disclosed in the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view ofthe drain body of the instant invention in place in a sink, being fragmentary.

FIG. 2 is a view in section, taken about on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the spud and control member in initial relative positions prior to inter-engagement. 1

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 2, the drain control means of this invention includes a-drain body generally indicated at 1, having threads 2 exteriorly thereof, the body being generally cylindrical and having at its upper end a flared section 3 to seat at the drain opening suggested at 4 in a sink generally designated 5 or similar location in which liquid is designed to be retained or permitted to flow therefrom.

The body 1 is retained in its position at the opening of the sink, which opening is designated 4 by means of a suitable large nut 7 in threaded engagement with the threads 2.

A sealing gasket 8 is provided in the usual form and in conjunction with the nut 7 maintains the body 1 in its position as suggested.

The lower end of the body 1 is reduced in diameter and for purposes of description designated herein as an outlet section 9 being of reduced diameter obviously and arranged for connection to the waste line 10 by means of a slip nut 11 of usual form.

The outlet section 9 is provided at its upper end with a seat 12 and a drain opening 13 at the lower end, at which opening is a cross piece 14. The cross piece 14 is in turn provided with a spud 15 inserted in an opening in the cross piece 14 and having a reduced section extendingthereabove upon which is formed the coarse thread 16 of what is known as Acme configuration, the extremity of the spud 15 being'bevelled as suggested at 17 in FIG. 3 to a considerably smaller extremity than the main threaded portion of the spud 15.

The spud 15 is retained in its position on the cross piece 14 by a suitable locking washer 18 of any preferred form.

A control member generally designated 20 and shown in enlarged detail in FIG. 3, is provided at its lower extremity with a downwardly opened interiorly threaded part 21, which is formed with a widely flared portion 22 at the mouth of the opening 23 interiorly of the part, mating threads 16 of the spud 15 when the respective parts are brought into conjunction, and manipulated by a handle 24 located at the upper end of a stem 25 which is connected to the part 21, in this case being shown integral therewith although not necessairly formed in this manner, there being a stopper of circular configuration and plan designated 26, including a bevelled periphery 27 for engagement with the seat 12 in the outlet section 9 previously referred to.

As will be noted from FIG. 3, the threaded part 21 is positioned above the spud 15 and as shown in FIG. 2, the parts are brought intoconnecting engagement with the threads thereof, starting to interengage, subsequent manipulation of the handle 24 in a clockwise direction completing the interengagement and bringing the stopper 26 into position to shut off the seat 12.

Similarly, by rotation in the opposite direction the outlet seat 12 may be opened for outflow of liquid previously retained in the sink or like place.

There is shown in FIG. 2 a crumb cup designated 28 of any suitable form which is sup ported'on the stem 25 for independent movement upwardly and downwardly thereon and likewise freely rotatable with respect thereto.

In view of the fact that the spud 15 extends upwardly as shown and the threaded part 21 extends downwardly, it will be understood that in normal use in a sink,'the,probability of the threads being fouled by foreign particles or matterv is very much reduced over the I priordisclosurein the Young U.S. Pat. No.,2,890,463

wherein thethreaded member at the lower end of that disclosure had a tendency to collect food therein and interfere with the operation of the stopper in closing off the sink itself from liquid outflow, the position of the water supply in the sink being normally such as to facilitate the discharge of water over the spud and further maintain the same clean and free from particles in the instant disclosure.

Further, it is contemplated hereby that the widely flared mouth of threaded part 21 of the control member is so proportioned as to readily guide the control member into position over the bevelled upper end of the spud 15, much more readily than was previously contemplated in the former invention shown in the Young patent referred to.

It is an essential feature of this invention that the threaded interengagement be effective readily without the necessity for additional guiding by the crumb cup thereof, since by merely dropping the entire unit in the general area of the opening in the body 1, the respective parts will be in position for engagement in the manner hereinbefore described.

I claimi 1. In drain control means of the class described, in combination, a drain body for positioning in the drain outlet of a sink or the like, an outlet section in said body having a seat formed at one end and a drain opening spaced therefrom, a spud mounted at said opening, extending upwardly therefrom and having threads thereon, the upper end of said spud being bevelled, a control member for said outlet section including a downwardly open interiorly threaded part for engagement with the spud aforesaid, a stopper above said part to contact the seat upon rotation of the part in one direction in engagement with the spud, to prevent flow coarse threads below the bevel. 

1. In drain control means of the class described, in combination, a drain body for positioning in the drain outlet of a sink or the like, an outlet section in said body having a seat formed at one end and a drain opening spaced therefrom, a spud mounted at said opening, extending upwardly therefrom and having threads thereon, the upper end of said spud being bevelled, a control member for said outlet section including a downwardly open interiorly threaded part for engagement with the spud aforesaid, a stopper above said part to contact the seat upon rotation of the part in one direction in engagement with the spud, to prevent flow through the outlet section, a stem extending from the stopper, and a handle at the end of the stem to rotate the threaded part.
 2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threaded part is formed with a flared portion at the mouth of said opening to guide said part into position for engagement of the threads in the respective parts.
 3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drain opening is provided with a cross piece, the spud is mounted thereon and is provided with relatively coarse threads below the bevel. 